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JJ. B. DAVIS. -Look for Ordnance.

No. 233,142. Patented Oct. i2 880,

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MPEIERS, PHOTQLWHOGRAPHER, wASHxNGTON D C PATENE OEErcE.

JAMES B. DAVIS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LOCK FOR ORDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,142, dated October12, 1880.

Application filed August 16, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES BAZIL DAVIS, acitizen ofthe United States, residing at Washington city, in theDistrict of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements inApparatus for Discharging Ordnance, of which the following is aspecification.

My invent-ion relates to certain new and useful improvements inapparatus for discharging ordnance.

In discharging ordnance the usual and almost universal method employedis to arrange a quill-primer within the vent. As the vent is left openat the time of the discharge of the piece, flame and gases escapethrough the ventpassage, resulting in an enlargement of such passage,and the consequent cracking or starring ofthe powder-cham ber at thepoint where the ven t-passage enters, and in addition to this result thecannoneer is compelled to use great care to avoid accident. It has beensuggested, in order to overcome these disadvantages, to provide a vent-piecc which is screwed into the breech of the gun, with a projectingportion provided with a dovetail head, in which is formed a cavity forthe recept-ion ot' a fulminate-capsule, which is held in place by aswingin gcoverand exploded by aiiring-pin or striker operated by ahammer. I have found that in this last-named method it is exceedinglydidicult to provide a perfect gas-check, and that unless such check isperfectly accomplished the copper cartridge or capsule is easily fused.

The object of my invention is to overcome all the disadvantages incidentto the construction ofthis above-named device; and it consists in thepeculiar construction and arrangement of devices, hereinafter described,for the discharge ot' a steel or other metallic gas-check primer ofpeculiar formation, and fully described in another application forLetters Patent which I have prepared and executed simultaneously withthis.

ln order that those skilled may fully understand my invention, I willdescribe the same, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure l is a rear elevation ot' a breech-plug used in heavyordnance with my improved devices secured thereto. Fig.2 isla centralvertical section at the line .r of Fig. l. Fig. 3

is a transverse section at the line y y, Fig. Fig. 4 is a similarsection at z z ot' Fig. l; Fig. 5, a plan view of that portion of theface-plate immediately and Fig. 6, a section at the line l l, Fig. l.

Similar letters indicate like parts in the several figures.

A represents the usual breech-plug employed to close the breech ot'ordinary breech-loading" heavy ordnance, and B is the handle by which itis turn ed to unlock it, ready to be withdrawn.

C is a circular plate, which I secure in any suitable manner `to rearface of the plug A. This plate is open centrally, as seen at D, into thecavity E surrounding the projecting` end of the ven t-plng F, which issecured within the breech-plug A, and the rear end ot' the ventplug F isformed with an annular groove, G, for the purpose presently to beexplained.

H is a lever, pivoted at one end, at I, to the face-plate C, andextended at the other end and bent outwardly the under side of thishandle, projecting inwardly, is a partial cylinder, K, the lower end ot'which is formed with a circular shoulder or rib, L, adapted to it in theannular groove Gr ofthe vent-plug. rIhis cylinder K is cutaway at oneside to allow it to pass the vent-plug F when the lever H is swungaround upon its pivot I to cover the vent and cause the rib L to occupyits place in the groove G.

M is a spring tiring-pin, arranged in the lever H axially with thevent-passage.

N is an arm extending radially from the lever H, to provide a bearing atO for a swinging strikeror hammer, P, which is operated by a lanyard, Q,passing around in a circular groove in the pivoted end ot' the hammer,as clearly shown in Fio. 2. Thelower end ofthe arm rests against theface-plate O, and is formed with a short tongue, B, adapted to travelunder a hook, S, secured to the plate C, the object being to aid inholding the lever H against any backward movement, and in thisparticular to assist the rib L on the part K, which, being centrallyarranged, is the main reliance in this particular. As seen at Fig. 6, aspur on the under side of the pivoted end 0f the lever H lies within ashort cavity in under the dotted line z z, Fig. l 5' to form a handle,J. Onl

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the face-plate, and limits the vibratory movement of the lever withinthe bounds necessary for its operation.

T is a hooi; secured tothe under side of the lever, and adapted totravel under the head or iiange of the cartridge U at the proper time towithdraw the same when the lever is swung` rearward on a hinge-joint, V,provided close to the point I ot' its pivoted connection with theface-plate.

lt will be observed that the pivot I and hinge V permit two movements ofthe lever II, one parallel with and the other at right angles to theface-plate.

The handle portion J ot the lever is bent outwardly at an an gie ofabout thirty degrees, to avoid pinching the hand of the gunner bctweenit and the breech-plug handle B.

XV is a spring-bolt ar `an ged in the faceplate and adapted to springinto a hole in the under side ot' the free end of the lever II and lockit against accidental movement at'ter it has been brought into properposition for operatin g the rin g mechanism.

Xis a thumb-rod, which, on being pressed down, forces the spring-boltback and releases the lever in an obvious manner when it is desired tovibrate the same on its pivot I.

In order to avoid the accidental operation ofthe hammer I, I provide aspring-latch, a, the end ot' which is forced into a hole in the bearingend ot' the same, so as to lock the same in a closed position, renderingit necessary to pull out the latch before the hammer can be operated bythe lanyard.

The cartridge employed is suoli as I have described in the applicationfor Letters Pat.- ent hereinbcfore referred to, and it is arrangedwithin the vent-passage, so that one shoulder or iiange ofthe cartridgerests upon the end of the vent-plug, the other tlange being sutlicientlyfar away from said end to permit the extracting-hook T to pass under thesame.

From the peculiar construction ot' the eartridge U and its arrangementwithin the gun and with the tiring mechanism, it will be observed thatupon the explosion ot' the powder in the gun the forward end ot' thetiring-cartridge expands to form a gas-check at that point, and thetiring-pin and central block or anvil of thc cartridge, as described inthe application herein referred to, prevent the escape ot' any gases atthat point. The form of the lever II at each side of the central lockingportion K is such that with the presence ot` the cavity E the lever maybe readily grasped to withdraw the plug A and direct it onto the usualsupporting-tray, thus avoiding the use ot' the ordinary independenthandles which are required for that purpose.

It will be understood that when guns are made having in view theemployment of my improved tiring mechanism the plate C may be dispensedwith and the firing mechanism attached directly to the breech-plug.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the breech-plug A, adapted to receive a suitablepriming-shell, the lever Il, hinged at V, and pivoted at I to thebreech-plug, and provided with suitable tiring and locking mechanism,substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The pivoted and hinged lever H, secured to the removable breech-plugand extended backwardly each side ot' the center, and provided with aradial arm, N, at right angles thereto to receive the firing mechanism,whereby the lever may serve the purpose ot a handle, substantially asdescribed, for withdrawing the breech-plug.

3. In combination with the breech-plug A, formed with the cavity E andprojecting ventplug F, having annular groove G, the hinged and pivotedlever II, provided with the central and inwardly-projectin g lockingmechanism K L, and extractor T, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

4f In combination with the swinging lever H and radial arm N, the hookT, arranged as described, for extracting the cartridge, substantially ashereinbefore set forth.

5. The radial arm N, provided with the central locking` mechanism, L,and circumferential loeking-hook It, in combination with the groovedvent-plug F and auxiliary lockinghook S, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

G. The lever H, provided with locking and tiring mechanism, asdescribed, and extended outwardly between the pivot and lockingpoint, toform a handle for the withdrawal of the breech-plug, as hereinbefore setforth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JAMES B. DAVIS.

Vitnesses:

M. M. Roanne. F. W. SMirH, J r.

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